Abstract: Disclosed are chimeric proteins having IL-10 fused to an enzymatically inactive polypeptide which increases the circulating half-life of IL-10. The chimeric polypeptides are useful for treating or preventing septic shock, inhibiting the development of Type I diabetes, and treating multiple myeloma in a patient.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of localized immunosuppression which may be used for preventing graft rejection or for preventing tissue destruction due to autoimmune disease. Also disclosed is a protein suppressor factor that is secreted by cloned anergic T-cells, blocks interleukin 2 (IL-2) stimulated T-cell proliferation, has an apparent molecular weight of between 10 and 30 kilodaltons, can be inactivated by heating to 65° C. for 15 minutes, blocks interleukin 4 (IL-4) stimulated T-cell proliferation in vitro, is non-cytotoxic to T-cells, and does not inhibit the production of IL-2 by T-cells in vitro.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a method of infecting an organ or a tissue other than a liver with an effective amount of a vector carrying genetic material of interest. This invention features a method of infecting kidney cells by introducing into the vasculature of a kidney a vector carrying genetic material of interest and maintaining the vector in contact with the renal vasculature for a period of time sufficient to allow infection of kidney cells with an effective amount of the vector, and under conditions which protect the kidney from ischemic damage. This method allows for infection of a significant number of renal endothelial cells. The method of the invention can be used for both in vivo and ex vivo applications.

Abstract: Disclosed are chimeric proteins having a cytokine fused to an enzymatically inactive polypeptide which increases the circulating half-life of the cytokine. The chimeric proteins are useful for treating, inhibiting, or preventing a variety of conditions, including septic shock, granulomatous disorders, Type I diabetes, and various cancers (e.g., multiple myeloma) in a patient.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for inhibit rejection of a graft in a patient. The methods involve treating the graft with a molecule which binds to a co-stimulatory protein of antigen-presenting cells. Useful molecules include chimeras having enzymatically inactive polypeptides bonded to polypeptides which bind to co-stimulatory proteins of antigen-presenting cells. Also disclosed, are chimeric molecules composed of lytic IgG Fc bonded to CD2, CD28, CD40L, or CTLA-4. In addition, disclosed are methods for inhibiting rejection of a graft in a patient; the methods involve treating the brain-dead, beating heart donor of the graft, prior to removal of the graft from the donor, to render the graft less susceptible to rejection by the patient.

Abstract: Disclosed are chimeric proteins having IL-10 fused to an enzymatically inactive polypeptide which increases the circulating half-life of IL-10. The chimeric polypeptides are useful for treating or preventing septic shock, inhibiting the development of Type I diabetes, and treating multiple myeloma in a patient.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of localized immunosuppression which may be used for preventing graft rejection or for preventing tissue destruction due to autoimmune disease. Also disclosed is a protein suppressor factor that is secreted by cloned anergic T-cells, blocks interleukin 2 (IL-2) stimulated T-cell proliferation, has an apparent molecular weight of between 10 and 30 kilodaltons, can be inactivated by heating to 65° C. for 15 minutes, blocks interleukin 4 (IL-4) stimulated T-cell proliferation in vitro, is non-cytotoxic to T-cells, and does not inhibit the production of IL-2 by T-cells in vitro.

Abstract: Disclosed are chimeric proteins having IL-10 fused to an enzymatically inactive polypeptide which increases the circulating half-life of IL-10. The chimeric polypeptides are useful for treating or preventing septic shock, inhibiting the development of Type I diabetes, and treating multiple myeloma in a patient.

Abstract: Disclosed are chimeric proteins having a cytokine fused to an enzymatically inactive polypeptide which increases the circulating half-life of the cytokine. The chimeric proteins are useful for treating, inhibiting, or preventing a variety of conditions, including septic shock, granulomatous disorders, Type I diabetes, and various cancers (e.g., multiple myeloma) in a patient.

Abstract: Methods of inhibiting allograft rejection and of inhibiting B lymphocyte-mediated autoimmune diseases are provided. The methods involve the use of agents specific for the IL-2 receptor, such as monoclonal antibodies or IL-2, optionally linked to a cytotoxin. Administration of the agents inhibits the proliferation of lymphocytes expressing the IL-2 receptor and thus mitigates unwanted immune responses.

Abstract: The present invention provides catheter apparatus and catheterization methodology for generating an arteriovenous fistula or a veno-venous fistula on-demand between closely associated blood vessels and at a chosen anatomic site in-vivo. The catheter apparatus is preferably employed in pairs, each catheter of the pair being suitable for percutaneous introduction into and extension through a blood vessel. The catheterization methodology employs the catheter apparatus preferably in conjunction with conventional radiological techniques in order to place, verify, and confirm a proper alignment, orientation, and positioning for the catheters in-vivo prior to activating the perforation means for generating a fistula.

Abstract: Methods and pharmaceutical compositions for modifying the mesothelial cells of a mammalian recipient in situ are provided. The methods include forming a mesothelial cell expression system in vivo or ex vivo and administering the expression system to the mammalian recipient (by way of the body cavities normally lined by mesothelial cells). The mesothelial cell expression system is useful for the localized and systemic delivery of therapeutic agents in situ.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for determining an amino acid sequence motif for a phosphorylation site of a protein kinase. In the method of the invention, a protein kinase is contacted with an oriented degenerate peptide library, peptides within the library which are substrates for the kinase are converted to phosphopeptides and the phosphopeptides are separated from non-phosphorylated peptides. The isolated phosphopeptides are sequenced and an amino acid sequence motif for the phosphorylation site is determined based upon the relative abundance of different amino acids residues at each degenerate position. The invention also provides peptide substrates for protein kinase A, cell cycle control kinases (including cyclin B/p33.sup.cdc2 and cyclin A/p33.sup.CDK2), src family kinases (including pp60.sup.c-src and pp60.sup.v-src), EGF receptor, p92.sup.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of localized immunosuppression which may be used for preventing graft rejection or for preventing tissue destruction due to autoimmune disease. Also disclosed is a protein suppressor factor that is secreted by cloned anergic T-cells, blocks interleukin 2 (IL-2) stimulated T-cell proliferation, has an apparent molecular weight of between 10 and 30 kilodaltons, can be inactivated by heating to 65.degree. C. for 15 minute, blocks interleukin 4 (IL-4) stimulated T-cell proliferation in vitro, is non-cytotoxic to T-cells, and does not inhibit the production of IL-2 by T-cells in vitro.

Abstract: Disclosed are (1) a DNA sequence encoding a mutant L3T4 protein which, when expressed on the surface of a cell, is capable of facilitating infection of the cell by human immunodeficiency virus; the mutant protein includes at least one amino acid residue substitution or deletion in a segment corresponding to the gp120 binding epitope of a native L3T4 protein so as to increase homology between that segment and its counterpart in a CD4 protein; (2) a murine cell line or strain transfected with such a DNA sequence; and (3) a transgenic mouse susceptible to infection by human immunodeficiency virus.

Abstract: A method of lysing unwanted, non-malignant cells in a mammal, the cells having on their surfaces a receptor for a growth factor, and the method including administering to the mammal a cell-lysing amount of a substance characterized in that it has specific affinity for the receptor of the growth factor and has the ability to effect the lysis of the cells.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a method of infecting an organ or a tissue other than a liver with an effective amount of a vector carrying genetic material of interest. This invention features a method of infecting kidney cells by introducing into the vasculature of a kidney a vector carrying genetic material of interest and maintaining the vector in contact with the renal vasculature for a period of time sufficient to allow infection of kidney cells with an effective amount of the vector, and under conditions which protect the kidney from ischemic damage. This method allows for infection of a significant number of renal endothelial cells. The method of the invention can be used for both in vivo and ex vivo applications.

Abstract: Processes for detecting or quantitating a particular phosphoglyceride in a sample containing the phosphoglyceride and other lipids and clinical uses for the process (e.g. for diagnosing improperly functioning lungs and other conditions) are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for treating a lipid body-mediated condition, such as inflammation or cancer, in an vertebrate by administering to the vertebrate a sufficient amount of an agent which inhibits the formation of lipid bodies in cells involved in inflammation. The agent can inhibit lipid body formation by inhibiting any biological activity necessary for lipid body formation.Another embodiment of the present invention is a method or assay for assessing the ability of a compound to inhibit lipid body formation in cells in vitro. The method comprises the steps of priming the cells for lipid body formation, contacting the cells with the compound under study, and comparing lipid body numbers in the cells with lipid body numbers in primed cells not contacted with the compound of interest. This method can be automated, yielding an efficient high-throughput assay for the efficient and rapid screening of large numbers of potential anti-inflammatory drugs.

Abstract: Disclosed a transgenic non-human mammal whose germ cells and somatic cells contain a knockout mutation in DNA encoding .beta..sub.3 -adrenergic receptor polypeptide.